Running St. George for St. George's Society
Many St. George’s Society supporters will recognize Charles Arrowsmith as our resident quizmaster extraordinaire. This October, he will take on a different sort of challenge as he runs the St. George Marathon in southwest Utah in support of St. George’s Society. He shares his progress and the motivation behind his campaign.
How did you become involved with St. George’s Society?
I first encountered St. George’s Society eight years ago when I was working for the British Consulate. The Consul General at the time, Danny Lopez, was Honorary President of the Society—part of a long line of Consul Generals involved with St. George’s Society—and through him, I got involved in a number of fun events the Society hosted including the British Bash. Over the years, I’ve had the honor of getting more involved with the Society, and for the last five years, I have set and hosted the regular Great British Pub Quiz at The Churchill, which has raised around $20,000 since its inception.
What’s your favorite thing about being a part of the St. George’s Society community?
I love how committed the Society’s members are to helping others, whether through volunteering, fundraising or generous donations. Like many others, I’m moved by the Society’s mission to come to the assistance of not only those who have fallen on hard times financially, but also those whose medical circumstances have left them with dire choices or terrible sacrifices to make. It’s something we can all, unfortunately, relate to.
You’re running the St. George Marathon in October. Why did you decide to take on this challenge for St. George’s Society?
The coincidence was too great to resist! St. George in Utah has an exciting mountainous course, and it’s in a part of the country I’ve longed to visit. It would have been a real missed opportunity to devote all that effort to running a marathon there and forget my happy association with St. George’s Society of New York!
With just about a month left until the big day, how are you feeling?
Positive! This is my sixth marathon and the first time (touch wood) I haven’t skipped a training run through either injury or indolence. My major worry is my knees, given the steady downhill that characterizes this race. But hopefully that training will pay off and help mitigate the damage somewhat!
What advice would you give for people interested in starting their own fundraising campaign?
Start early and hammer away at it! I’ve been wearying my half-dozen Instagram followers for months with pictures taken during training runs, and I’ve been amazed and so grateful for the support I’ve received. Contact your friends and colleagues (your employer may be more supportive than you expect!) and don’t be afraid to casually mention it at parties... Be self-deprecating but nevertheless frequent in your references to it. Soon people will sponsor you just to shut you up.
Show your support and help Charles reach his fundraising goal! Donate to his campaign at http://bit.ly/2YVTOMs